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Overview

Paddington Here and Now by Michael Bond, R. W. Alley

Since the Browns found Paddington on a railway platform and took him home to live with them, there has never been a dull moment at number 32 Windsor Gardens. But as he explained to them at the start, "Things happen to me: I'm that sort of a bear."

There's the day his basket on wheels mysteriously disappears when he's out shopping in the market. And the time he locks the Browns' grouchy old neighbor, Mr. Curry, out of his house on Halloween night.

However, everyone in the family, including Paddington, agrees that a surprise visit from a long-lost relative is the start of his most exciting adventure ever.

For the first time in almost thirty years, everyone's favorite bear from Darkest Peru is starring in a brand-new novel—just in time for the fiftieth anniversary of his first adventure, A Bear Called Paddington.

Product Details

About the Author

Michael Bond began chronicling Paddington’s adventures in his first book, A Bear Called Paddington, published in 1958. Fortunately, bears don’t need much encouragement, and Paddington has since filled the pages of twelve further novels, a variety of picture books, and many other projects written for the young at heart.

R. W. Alley has illustrated a number of books featuring Paddington Bear. He lives in Barrington, Rhode Island, with his wife, author Zoë B. Alley.

Read an Excerpt

He gazed at the spot where he had left it before going into the cut-price grocer's in the Portobello Market. In all the years he had lived in London such a thing had never happened to him before, and he could hardly believe his eyes. But if he thought staring at the empty space was going to make it reappear, he was doomed to disappointment.

"It's coming to something if a young bear gent can't leave 'is shopping basket unattended for five minutes while 'e's going about 'is business," said one of the stall holders who normally supplied Paddington with vegetables when he was out shopping for the Brown family. "I don't know what the world's coming to."

"There's no give and take anymore," agreed a man at the next stall. "It's all take and no give. They'll be towing us away next, you mark my words."

"You should have left a note on it saying 'Back in five minutes,'" said a third one.

"Fat lot of good that would have done," said another. "They don't give you five seconds these days, let alone five minutes."

Paddington was a popular figure in the market, and by now a small crowd of sympathizers had begun to gather. Although he was known to drive a hard bargain, he was much respected by the traders. Receiving his business was regarded by many as being something of an honoron a par with having a sign saying they were by appointment to a member of the royal family.

"The foreman of the truck said it was in the way of his vehicle," said a lady who had witnessedthe event. "They were trying to get behind a car they wanted to tow away."

"But my buns were in it," said Paddington.

"'Were' is probably the right word," replied the lady. "I daresay even now they're parked in some side street or other wolfing them down. Driving those great big tow-away trucks of theirs must give them an appetite."

"I don't know what Mr. Gruber is going to say when he hears," said Paddington. "They were meant for our elevenses."

"Look on the bright side," said another lady. "At least you've still got your suitcase with you. The basket could have been clamped. That would have cost you eighty pounds to get it undone."

"And you would have to hang about half the day before they got around to doing it," agreed another.

Paddington's face grew longer and longer as he listened to all the words of wisdom. "Eighty pounds!" he exclaimed. "But I only went in for Mrs. Bird's bottled water!"

"You can buy a new basket on wheels in the market for ten pounds," chimed in another stall holder.

"I daresay if you haggle a bit you could get one for a lot less," said another.

"But I've only got ten pence," said Paddington sadly. "Besides, I wouldn't want a new one. Mr. Brown gave mine to me soon after I arrived. I've had it ever since."

"Quite right!" agreed an onlooker. "You stick to your guns. They don't come like that these days. Them new ones is all plastic. Don't last five minutes."

"If you ask me," said a lady who ran a knickknacks stall, "it's a pity it didn't get clamped. My Sid would have lent you his hacksaw like a shot. He doesn't hold with that kind of thing."

"Pity you weren't here in person when they did it," said another stall holder. "You would have been able to lie down in the road in front of their truck as a protest. Then we could have phoned the local press to send over one of their photographers, and it would have been in all the papers."

"That would have stopped the lorry in its tracks," agreed someone else from the back of the crowd.

Paddington eyed the man doubtfully. "Supposing it didn't?" he said.

"In that case you would have been on the evening news," said the man. "Television would have had a field day interviewing all the witnesses."

"You'd have become what they call a martyr," agreed the first man. "I daresay in years to come they would have erected a statue in your honor. Then nobody would have been able to park."

"What you need," said the fruit-and-vegetable man, summing up the whole situation, "is a good lawyer. Someone like Sir Bernard Crumble. He lives just up the road. This kind of thing is just up his street. He's a great one for sticking up for the underdog" He broke off as he caught Paddington's eye. "Well, I daresay he does underbears as well. He'd have their guts for garters. Never been known to lose a case yet."

"Which street does he live in?" asked Paddington hopefully.

"I shouldn't get ideas above your station," warned another trader, "if you'll pardon the pun. They do say 'e charges an arm and a leg just to open 'is front door to the postman."

"If I were you," said a passerby, "before you do anything else, I suggest you go along to the police station and report the matter to them. I daresay they'll be able to arrange counseling for you."

"Whatever you do," advised one of the stall holders, "don't tell them you've been towed away. Be what they call noncommittal. Just say your vehicle has gone missing."

He gazed at the large pack of bottled water Paddington had bought at the grocer's. "You can leave those with me. I'll make sure they don't come to any harm."

Paddington thanked the man for his kind offer and, after waving good-bye to the crowd, set off at a brisk pace toward the nearest police station.

But as he turned a corner and a familiar blue lamp came into view, he began to slow down. Over the years he had met a number of policemen, and he had always found them only too ready to help in times of trouble. There was the occasion when he'd mistaken a television repairman for a burglar, and another time when he had bought some oil shares from a man in the market and they had turned out to be duds.

Editorial Reviews

That delightful and entertaining bear from darkest Peru has landed back on the shelves with yet another fun story for young readers. In Paddington Here and Now our naive Paddington has help locating his lost shopping cart but loses his buns, finds time to irate his neighbor Mr. Curry, celebrates Halloween with the neighborhood by doing more tricks then giving away treats, and stirs up an international incident by innocently answering questions that only our favorite bear could do. Even his long lost Uncle Pastuzo appears out of nowhere and relieves not only Paddington but his Aunt Lucy still in Lima. With the help of Paddington's longtime friends Mr. and Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Bird, and his best buddy Mr. Gruber, trouble only lasts for a short time, then all seems to appear normal. If only our little bear would find a way to stay out of trouble, then again he would not be himself. Even after fifty years, author Michael Bond does it again with his charming creation and childlike voice of Paddington bear. This bear has not aged a day and yet young readers cannot wait to open the pages of this book and find what will happen next. Only a timeless lovable bear could hide a chunky marmalade sandwich in his hat and make the whole world smile. The snippet of illustrations by R.W Alley throughout the book show off our bear at his best and remind us that the best things in life can come in small packages. Reviewer: Julia Beiker

Children's Literature - Julia Beiker

Gr 3-5

Fifty years after his first adventure in A Bear Called Paddington , this beloved and well-lauded character returns in a charming new chapter book. Reassuringly, things haven't changed much at 32 Windsor Gardens in the 30 years since the last episode: Paddington, a bear "not short of ideas," is still the apple of the Brown family's eye; the darling of their no-nonsense housekeeper, Mrs. Bird; and the bun-and-cocoa-sharing companion of kindly antiques-dealer Mr. Gruber. Beginning with a chapter in which Paddington's trademark shopping basket on wheels goes missing and his visit to the police station goes awry, continuing with several amusing interludes involving the Browns' crotchety next-door neighbor, and culminating with a surprise visit from long-lost Uncle Pastuzo, this volume retains the gentle humor of the earlier installments. Wordplay, misunderstandings, and double meanings abound, all proffered with perfect British wit and comic pacing. Alley's delightful pen-and-ink drawings reflect the spirit of Peggy Fortnum's familiar illustrations while coming across as fresh and original. As delectable as a marmalade sandwich served with a flourish from beneath a bear's hat, this is a must-have for Paddington fans.-Joy Fleishhacker , School Library Journal

School Library Journal

In the past 50 years, very little has changed for the residents of 32 Windsor Gardens. They still live with a bear from Darkest Peru who happens to go by the name of Paddington. Moreover, Paddington is just as curious and prone to getting himself into trouble as he has always been. One minute he's been arrested for not having a driver's license, the next he's given the local travel agent seven kinds of fits. Though most of the stories in this latest Michael Bond title are independent of one another, the last few tales concern a visitor from Paddington's past and a lovely surprise for the whole family. Interior pen-and-ink illustrations by R.W. Alley act as the perfect complement to Bond's infinitely lovable bear. Even alongside such modern details as cell phones and the London Eye, Paddington's stories retain a timeless charm that will satisfy old fans and surely lure in new ones. Children's literature in its finest, purest form. (Fiction. 5-10)

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